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Phuket Riding Club ( Map; 0 7628 8213; www.phuketridingclub.com; 95 Th Vises; rides from 650B; 7am-6.30pm) Ride the jungle trails and white sands of the south coast atop Australian horses. The stables, gear and horses are all top quality. Lessons are also available.

ELEPHANT RIDES

Arawan Bukit Elephant Trekking (08 6809 4780; Th Patong-Karon; tours 400-1200B; 9am-6pm) Gulong, Peter and their mates are logging-industry refugees. They sleep five hours a day, eat six hours a day and will carry you to commanding views of Ao Patong.

Kok Chang Safari ( Map; 08 4841 9794; www.kokchangsafari.com; 287 Moo 2, Th Kata Sai Yuan Hwy 4233; tours from 600B; 8.30am-5.30pm) This well-run, attractive elephant camp is easily one of the best on Phuket, if not the best. The animals are healthy. Tours last 20 minutes to an hour. If you do the full hour (1000B), you’ll have a magical view from the top of the mountain. Or you could always ditch the elephants and have a drink with Charlie, a friendly and damn handsome monkey. He’ll be at the bar.

Phuket Elephant Ride (08 4058 3276; 25/19 Moo 1, Hwy 4233; elephant tours from 800B, snake show 400B, monkey show 400B; 9am-7pm) If you can’t be bothered to drive the extra few kilometres to the superior Kok Chang Safari (see above), you can book a similar trip here. Tours last 20, 30 or 60 minutes. The camp also features a snake show starring a king cobra and another somewhat depressing show with a trained monkey.

Phuket Zoo ( Map; 0 7638 1227; www.phuketzoo.com; 23/2 Moo 3 Soi, Th Phalai Chaofa, near Chalong; admission 200B; 8.30am-6pm) Young animal enthusiasts will enjoy the elephant shows.

MOO·AY TAI (THAI BOXING)

Rawai has several well-known moo·ay tai (also spelt muay thai) schools. There is one popular (but fairly touristy) training centre in Patong ( Click here).

Rawai Muay Thai (08 1078 8067; www.rawaimuaythai.com; 43/42 Moo 7, Th Sai Yuan, Rawai; 7.30-9.30am & 4-6pm; group class/private session 500/800B) A former moo·ay tai champion opened this gym, and tourists from around the world come here to learn how to fight alongside professional Thai fighters. Most are college kids who live in on-site dorms, but you’re welcome to drop in for lessons. Be warned: it’s immediately addictive.

Sinbi Muay Thai (08 3391 5535; www.sinbi-muaythai.com; 100/15 Moo 7, Th Sai Yuan, Rawai; 7.30-9.30am & 4-6pm; per day/week/month 500/3000/10,000B) Another well-respected boxing training camp in Rawai. Open to both sexes.

ADRENALIN SPORTS

Cable Jungle Adventures (08 1977 4904; 232/17 Moo 8, Th Bansuanneramit; per person 1600B; 9am-6pm) Tucked into the hills behind a quilt of pineapple fields, rubber plantations and mango groves is this maze of eight zip lines linking cliffs to ancient ficus trees. The zips range from 6m to 23m above the ground and the longest run is 100m long. Closed-toe shoes are a must.

Jungle Bungy Jump ( Map; 0 7632 1351; www.phuketbungy.com; 61/3 Moo 6, Kathu; jump 1600B) In operation since 1992, this 20-storey bungy jump inland from Patong is built and operated to Kiwi standards. Jumpers have the option to dunk in the water, leap in pairs or experience the Rocket Man, where you’ll be shot 50m into the air, then do the bungy thing on the way down.

SPAS

For the skinny on spas check out the boxed text, below.

Amala Spa ( Map; 0 7634 3024; www.bydlofts.com; 5/28 Th Rat Uthit, Patong; treatments from 600B; 9am-8pm) Like the rest of the BYD property ( Click here), this spa offers luxurious urban design, as well as Thai, oil and reflexology massage, a white-clay body wrap or a detoxifying green tea body polish.

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THE LOW-DOWN ON THE BEST RUB-DOWN

There seems to be a massage parlour on every soi on Phuket, with an eager employee in the doorway yelling, ‘Massaaaaaaaaaage!’ with a Fran Drescher–esque nasal squeak. Most of these shops are low-key family affairs where rub-downs go for 250B and a quick mani-pedi will set you back a measly 100B. The quality of service at these joints varies, and